Medical marijuana is used to treat various kinds of pain. Pain management of conditions such as chronic pain, cancer, seizures or diabetes may include the use of marijuana.
Marijuana helps to reduce symptoms such as nausea, pain and inflammation. Although marijuana was widely used to control pain in the late 19th century the invention of new drugs like aspirin caused the use of marijuana to decline. It was banned in the United States in 1937.
In the last few decades of the 20th century, scientists began to test the use of marijuana to help patients with glaucoma and chronic pain. In 2003 the federal government recognized the active ingredients in marijuana, cannabinoids, as a neuroprotectant for patients recovering from strokes, accidents, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. It was also found effective in treatment of inflammatory diseases auto immume conditions. It is an option for pain management in patients with certain conditions such as chronic pain.
Over a dozen states now allow the use of medical marijuana. States have differing laws regarding the use but in general a prescription must be obtained from a doctor and the seller must have a license to sell the medical marijuana to the patient. Some states allow the patient to grow the plants themselves.
Medical marijuana must be a certain grade. Cannabis sativa and Cannabis indica are the two strains of the cannabis plant potent enough to provide the necessary effects for medical marijuana. Growing marijuana is often done in hydroponic systems where the temperature, light, nutrition and watering can all be strictly controlled.
The sativa strain of medical grade marijuana is high in Tetrohydrocannabinol (THC). It is prescribed for patients with migraine headaches, depression and nausea. The “high” effect of this strain of marijuana seems to work best for treating these patients. It does work for particular pain management of certain conditions such as migraines.
The indica strain of medical grade marijuana is high in cannabidiol (CBD). The calming effect of this active ingredient is used by patients who have inflammation, anxiety and muscle. This is the strain typically used for patients in need of pain management.
A British study showed that for nerve pain, medical marijuana may help when morphine can't. When a nerve is damaged then the morphine receptors disappear. Therefore morphine doesn't help with the nerve pain. They found that the cannabinoid receptors were found in the areas that process pain signals. The pain was lessened by the use of cannabinoids injected directly into the spinal fluid. New ways to deliver the cannabinoids are being sought.
One way medical marijuana treats pain is that it can work with an opiate so that a lower dose of the opiate is needed to lessen the pain. The active ingredients in marijuana actually interfere with pain signaling and that helps to lessen or alleviate a patient's pain.